Stamps play an important role in a variety of industries, from business to personal use. They are used to authenticate documents, create branding elements, and even for decorative purposes.

With 50m enthusiasts, stamp collecting is the world's most popular hobby, but only a tiny minority approach philately as a serious investment. Mike Hall, 39, chief executive of national stamp trader ...

What prized possession, the singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor was recently asked, would she grab if she had to abandon her house at a few minutes' notice? "I'd save my photographs first," she replied – so ...